diff --git a/openpype/pipeline/publish/lib.py b/openpype/pipeline/publish/lib.py
index 815761cd0f..1ae6ea43b2 100644
--- a/openpype/pipeline/publish/lib.py
+++ b/openpype/pipeline/publish/lib.py
@@ -952,6 +952,7 @@ def replace_with_published_scene_path(instance, replace_in_path=True):
 
     return file_path
 
+
 def add_repre_files_for_cleanup(instance, repre):
     """ Explicitly mark repre files to be deleted.
 
@@ -960,7 +961,16 @@ def add_repre_files_for_cleanup(instance, repre):
     """
     files = repre["files"]
     staging_dir = repre.get("stagingDir")
-    if not staging_dir or instance.data.get("stagingDir_persistent"):
+
+    # first make sure representation level is not persistent
+    if (
+        not staging_dir
+        or repre.get("stagingDir_persistent")
+    ):
+        return
+
+    # then look into instance level if it's not persistent
+    if instance.data.get("stagingDir_persistent"):
         return
 
     if isinstance(files, str):